What Matters Most
by Old Romantic
Summary: She didn't know it was happening, that she was falling in love; she was just doing what felt right, and he was letting her.  Caskett.  Future fic.  Lots of fluffy goodness.
1. Part 1 of 3

**Warnings: some mild language and mild sexual content**

**Spoilers/Timeline: **AU after 4x17 - Once Upon a Crime, Future Fic

**Disclaimer: ***checks all available accounts and wallets and change jars and finds dust bunnies* Nope, no money being made here. I only own the idea for this plot, though if TPTB decide to steal it, film it, and put it on the show without paying me, I won't complain one bit. :)

**Summary: **She didn't know it was happening, that she was falling in love; she was just doing what felt right, and he was letting her.

**A/N:** This is just something that came to me as I was again watching the end of Once Upon a Crime. I've glazed over the timing details so as not to pinpoint this fic to a specific date. If I'm off on something, just…go with it.

Dedicated to my newest betas, **Katrina **and **Dana Katherine**. Thank you so much for your help!

Enjoy! :)

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><p><strong>13  
><strong>

Kate wasn't sure when it had happened, when she found herself leaving the courthouse an extremely happy, married woman, surrounded by family and friends. But it had somehow. It was all sort of a blur. When she thought back, there were a few moments along the way that seemed like stepping stones over the river of life, as she and Castle crossed over to the other side, from friends and partners and a writer and his muse to something deeper, more intimate; to love itself.

Like the first time she reached for his hand and didn't take it back. His mother was going through her one-woman show in Castle's living room, and when one of her lines seemed to insult Rick right after another that had acknowledged him in the sweetest way, Kate grabbed his hand, hoping to give him some friendly comfort. Castle had accepted it with all the grace of a man who'd resigned himself to being "just friends," though his confession of love some months earlier was still on Kate's mind every hour of each day. Somehow she knew she'd tell him she knew, but later, when she was ready to return such a complimentary sentiment.

Still, her hand remained in his.

Soon, hand-holding became a regular occurrence, though when that began, Kate cannot pinpoint. It just happened occasionally, like when they'd be on their way out a door, Kate would hesitate to allow someone else through, and as soon as they passed, Castle would grab her hand and pull her through. He wouldn't let go and neither would she, but it wasn't a conscious effort. It just seemed natural. Sometimes they'd be walking over some unstable ground to a crime scene, and Castle, being the more clumsy of the two, would need her steadying hand. The first time Kate realized they hadn't let go their hands upon reaching ground zero of their crime scene was when Lanie had posed the teasing question, "Since when did you two get surgically attached?"

They'd let go quickly that time, with Kate joking that Castle couldn't handle walking in his two-hundred-dollar shoes over tree roots while talking _and_ carrying his coffee. It had worked to change the subject, but the fact remained that something was changing between them.

And it wasn't like they were holding hands as lovers would, with their fingers intertwined. It was always palms and fingers together, more like close friends or siblings or how a father might hold his daughter's hand. The thought of that comparison didn't bode well with Kate, however, and for a short time, she made sure not to touch Castle in any way.

The next time it happened unbeknownst to her was on a dinner date with Rick. After closing a case and losing a bet with her in the process, Castle had insisted he pay up by taking her his favorite restaurant. It was when they were getting out of the car by the valet booth that it happened. Kate waited as Rick circled the car and opened her door, allowing him to take her hand and help her up out of the low seat. She was wearing her new favorite red dress and black stilettos, so she'd easily accepted the help. But why didn't she let go as they walked inside together?

She also recalled smiling rather widely that night when the maitre 'd thought she couldn't hear when he told Castle he had a beautiful girlfriend. Castle didn't bother correcting him, and for the first time, neither did she.

But it did make for some interesting conversation over their table for two that evening.

"Girlfriend, huh?" Kate teased once the waiter had left with their drink order.

"Yeah? So? You're a girl and a friend. Therefore: 'girlfriend'."

Her eyebrows wanted to raise, and she tried to hold back her smile. She failed at stopping either. "But in the real world, that simple word has a different kind of implication altogether."

"Not if I was a woman. Or gay. And just why is it that men can't have women as 'girlfriends' without it being assumed that they're lovers too?"

"I don't know," Kate chuckled. "But if someone could find a way to debunk that misconception, it'd be you."

After that, she didn't mind it that he introduced her as his girlfriend, though it should've. She just pretended it didn't mean what it really did, to both of them.

That next Friday, when neither of them had any other plans, they made plans with each other. A new John Grisham book had been made into another movie, and despite all his complaints and envy of the other author's success, Castle had wanted to see what the on-screen tales of Nikki Heat were competing against. Ryan and Esposito had teased them that they were dating, but they waved off their ribbing with assurances that they were "just friends," "just seeing a movie together," "just this once."

And it was just another friendly date that ended in separate bedrooms, in separate apartments. But soon, every Friday night was another opportunity to fib about why they were spending it together.

Movies and dinners out turned into movies and dinners in. Sometimes he'd pick the movie and the place, bringing dinner to her apartment when it was his turn, and other times, she was the one to make the decisions. Castle knew that she liked Orange Chicken from Chang Foo's; she knew his vice was the chocolate cake from Monk's. And each of them made the other happy. It seemed to Kate that was all that mattered.

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><p>She wasn't sure when these casual evenings spent together turned into comfortable ones, but over time, she'd find that at the end of the evening, she'd been curled up by his side in her sock feet and sweats, head on his shoulder, his arm snugly around her. He was warm and soft and smelled of pine and mint, which she assumed was the aftershave he chose each day. He'd been with her so long, the scent just smelled like Rick.<p>

Kate did, however, remember the first time she asked Rick to stay the night. It wasn't like she wanted to have sex; on the contrary, she was just so comfortable against him that she didn't want to move. The movie was over, Rick had turned the TV off with the remote and suggested he should go because she was tired - nearly asleep on his chest - and she'd mumbled, "No, don't go. Please."

It didn't take him much to agree. "Okay," he'd whispered against her hair. He grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch to cover them both and kissed her head to say goodnight. When she awoke in the morning, she'd felt so refreshed. She remembers smiling when she saw how he was sleeping with his head on the back of the couch, his face toward the ceiling, and his mouth wide open. She also remembers how much she'd wanted to kiss him awake and resisted the urge.

Instead, she'd lifted his head and put a pillow under it, pleased when it worked to close his mouth, proving that it was more comfortable for him. Then she went back to sleep for another hour, glad for the fact that it was Saturday, and she didn't have to be anywhere all day long.

By the time he'd awakened, she had a full breakfast cooking just like that time she'd stayed at his apartment. But this time, it wasn't interrupted by work. She laughs now at how silly they were, feeding each other bacon and still pretending they were "just friends."

Within weeks, spending the night became a regular occurrence, though neither of them ever initiated wanting more. Kate or Rick would merely be too tired to go home, and spending the night seemed like the better option. Usually they'd sleep together in the sense that they'd share the couch. They grew wise to how bad positioning would lead to back or neck pain the next day, so they'd plan ahead and lay down lengthwise on the couch, with Rick's head on the armrest and Kate's on his chest.

The first time Martha caught them like that, when she came in late one night, led to much discussion neither Rick or Kate was prepared to handle. "I don't know why we like just sleeping on the couch together, Mother," he'd proclaimed over their usual big Saturday breakfast on the bar. "We just," he shrugged, casting a glance at Kate who was in obvious agreement, "do."

Martha had shaken her head, as if realizing there was no convincing these two otherwise. "You know what this is leading to, don't you? Heartache," she'd answered her own question without hesitation. "If you two don't accept that you love each other, and that there's more to this than just some close friendship you keep leaning on, one day, when one of you wants more, and goes out to find it, you'll both get hurt."

Kate and Rick had looked at each other then, but neither of them thought it to be true. "No," he shook his head.

Kate added, "We're being careful, Martha. We're just enjoying being close without being intimate."

Martha walked away then with a shake of her head and a wave of her hand, as if sensing their impending doom. "I suppose I'll be here to pick up the pieces when it all comes crashing down on you."

"Good to know, Mom," Castle had called out, feeding Kate a bite of the most perfect omelet he'd ever made.

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><p>Their first kiss had happened nearly a year before, so it didn't seem as big of a deal when it became a good way to hide in plain sight while on a case. They were looking for a suspect in a bar one night when it became clear from the whispers around them that Kate looked too much like a cop. She'd dragged Castle out in the alley, then, hoping to fix her hair and style her clothing into something a little more sexy, when the suspect appeared outside with them. "Oh, crap," she'd mumbled. "Castle, kiss me," she then pleaded in a whisper, pulling him against her as she leaned against the brick wall behind her.<p>

He did, and they kissed long and hard, feeling as though they were coming back together after a long time apart. Being so lost in his lips, she nearly lost sight of the suspect again. But when she pushed Castle away to pull her gun, it was done in a fluid motion, taking the suspect by total surprise.

The next time was on a stakeout. One moment, they were sipping cold coffee and holding binoculars; the next, when the subject walked right past their car, they were lip-locked and as close as they could get over the middle console.

It did occur to Castle to talk about their on-the-job kissing that night. "Is this…typical? I mean, have you and Espo or Ryan…?"

"God, no, Castle," she'd balked. "No, we always take the consequences when we get caught. But I like this better - it brings about a faster conclusion to our cases, and much less chasing after the suspect." She cast a glance his way. "Does it bother you?"

"No," he shook his head, and she heard the honesty in his voice. "Not a bit, which is…odd. Shouldn't we be freaking out about what this means to our friendship? Isn't that what typically happens at this stage?"

"I wouldn't know, I guess," she'd replied humorously, peering through the binoculars again, noting that the suspect was closing the blinds on the window they were watching. "But I like that we're comfortable enough with each other that we can handle it without launching off into some big discussion about it."

"So do I," he concurred. He picked up his own binoculars just in time to see the lights go out on the subject's motel room. "It's a good thing we're already used to spending the night together," he joked, gesturing to the window several hundred yards in front of them. "I'll bet it's going to be a long one."

Soon, kissing hello or goodbye became the norm. After a particularly lovely day spent together with his family, Kate had felt so much a part of it that she leaned up and kissed his cheek before she headed home. "Thank you, Castle," she'd said emphatically, knowing he'd understand the depth of her words. He showed up at her apartment that night with a pizza, just the way she liked it. She kissed his cheek again, and suddenly, it became tradition.

She remembered the first time she missed his cheek. He'd come in with his hands full of groceries - knowing she needed some things so that he could make a proper breakfast for her the next morning - and they'd tried to give their usual, casual kiss hello, when their lips met. After the unexpected peck, they stared at one another…and then chuckled. "Oops," Kate had joked with one of the bags in hand. Laughing it off had helped it to feel more natural when they kissed goodbye the next morning at her door.

After that, a peck on the lips would happen at the beginning or end of a date, and it didn't happen every time - just when it seemed like the thing to do. Rick would stop by her apartment to pick her up, she'd greet him with a peck on the lips as he came inside. At the end of the night, same thing, only this was usually accompanied with a following hug. Nothing big happened, no fireworks went off, it was just…comfortable.

Castle stopped meeting her at the precinct with her coffee, coming earlier to her apartment with her cup instead, and the two would drive to and from work together. They were so into their routine that the first evening Kate had to stay late to work on paperwork, and he leaned in to kiss her goodbye, Ryan, at his desk, nearly had a fit. Esposito's back was turned, but he was soon clued in by his partner, and the two of them rushed over to clarify the situation.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, how long has this been going on?" Esposito asked. "I mean, we figured it'd happen someday; we just thought you'd let us know when it was happening."

Ryan agreed with a nod. "Yeah, and be sure to mention the specific date - I had March 21st in the office pool."

Castle and Beckett were a little puzzled at first, glancing at each other dumbly.

"The kiss I just saw," Ryan prodded, his voice-pitch high. "Hello, how long have the two of you been an item?" he enunciated.

"Oh," Kate came to life first. "We're not, Ryan. We're just friends."

"Just friends, my ass," Esposito declared. "Since when do you kiss just friends, Beckett? 'Cuz, as I recall, you and I have been friends for nearly a decade, and…I've never gotten a kiss from you."

She leveled a look at him. "It's no big deal, Javi. We're not dating, we're not in love, not engaged or getting married, we're just…" she stared at Castle for help.

"Together," Castle finished for her. "But just as friends. _Close_ friends."

The boys were both confused. Ryan asked, "So, you're not…sleeping together or shopping around for wedding rings?"

"No," Castle laughed. Kate joined him with a wide grin, a roll of her eyes, and a shake of her head. But then Castle added, "I mean, we have technically 'slept together,' but not in the sense to which you're referring."

"Whoa," Javi took a step closer. "You guys are sleeping together without sex? That's messed up, right there."

"Yeah," Ryan concurred, his face frozen in a disgusted sort of shock. "I'm seriously glad Jenny didn't want to settle for that kind of relationship."

Javi nodded in agreement, and Kate shrugged one shoulder. "It works for us. I don't know, guys; it just…feels right."

"Don't get me wrong," Castle added for the boys' benefit, "I do miss the sex."

Kate rolled her eyes again. "Castle."

"What? I am a guy."

"Yeah, well, when you figure out a way to have meaningless sex-"

Their eyes met, and suddenly, it seemed like a possibility.

Ryan broke the long pause. "Oh, this reminds me of that _Seinfeld_ episode. If they start talking about trying to have 'this, that, and the other,' I'm out of here."

Keeping his eyes on the couple, Esposito leaned over to Ryan to say, "Let's just go now."

And the two walked away, leaving Beckett and Castle flummoxed for conversation. "Were you serious?" Castle asked first.

She was glad the precinct was mostly empty. "I didn't think I was, but…" she let out a breath. "I miss sex, too, Castle."

"Yeah, but is that something we could…do? I mean, what if my mother was right and we only hurt ourselves by pretending there isn't something more going on?"

"_Is_ there something more going on? Do you still…love me?"

He absorbed her question for a long moment, staring into her eyes. "Still? Kate, d-did you…do you remember me ever saying that?"

She dropped her gaze to the floor, shaking her head slightly. "I never forgot." She sighed at herself and squeezed her eyes closed. "I lied; I'm sorry."

Just when she thought a good scolding was headed her way, she found instead she was being tugged straight into his arms. Castle spoke quietly into her ear. "Then, since you know how I feel, you should know by now that I'll take whatever I can get with you. I'll do whatever you want to make you happy. The question is: how much do you want?"

She pulled away and looked up at him. "Right now, I just want what we've had. Maybe we can discuss something more, but…I don't know. Just give me a few days to think it over."

"Friday night? Your place? You pick the movie; I'll bring Chang Foo's."

She smiled. "I know you will." She squeezed his hand, not realizing until that moment she was holding it. "You're a dependable man, Rick. I didn't expect that when I first met you."

"I'm also obviously very patient," he joked, making her slap his arm with her free hand. "Just thought I'd mention that." Their chuckle dying down, he said, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

She nodded and accepted his light kiss. "Don't forget my coffee."

"Have I ever?" he asked as he took the first steps toward the elevator.

The smile wouldn't leave her face. "No, you haven't."


	2. Part 2 of 3

**A/N**: Thank you _so much_ for all the wonderful and lovely reviews! I would gladly respond to each of you individually, but my daughter and I have bronchitis, and I'm running on very little sleep. That being said, I have nothing else to do when I'm awake but give you fic. :D

There are three parts (obviously) to this, and they're all written and beta'd, so, after this one, the last update will be this evening/tomorrow morning. I'm posting this is a few different places (including my public LiveJournal, **emstories**, if you want to friend me over there), and a couple of LJ comms, so I want to update one part at a time.

I'm so glad you guys like it! This one's a wee bit shorter than the other two. And just be forewarned: it's definitely **PG/T** this chapter. Enjoy! :D

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><p><strong>23**

Their first time was that Friday night, though Castle was clueless it would happen when he arrived at Kate's apartment. Carrying in the bags of Chinese food, he kissed Kate hello and stepped inside. Then he sat on the couch and casually asked what movie she'd gotten as he pulled the cartons out of the bags.

"I didn't get one," she revealed as she brought over two plates and several spoons from the kitchen and perched on the edge of the couch beside him in her sweats and thick white socks.

Rick's hands stilled long enough to stare at her curiously.

"I've been thinking," she said, clearly understating what had happened each night for the past three days. In fact, she'd been losing a lot of sleep just considering the idea that their relationship could satisfy their physical needs as well as the emotional, if it was something the both of them could agree to. "Maybe we can discuss doing…more."

His eyebrows rose quite a bit. "Seriously? 'Cuz I'm all for it - or, you know, at least discussing it."

She held up a hand. "I don't want to rush into it without covering all the risks and possible consequences. I don't want us feeling like we have to follow some unspoken list of rules and expected steps on a relationship timeline. If we have sex, that's all it will be: sex. We won't be talking about marriage or children or even moving in together. At least not yet. Is that something you could agree to?"

"Yeah," he answered a little too eagerly.

"Good," she smiled, sighing in relief. "Now, while we eat, we can think up any possible problems that might arise, so we won't be unprepared."

He handed her the carton of Orange Chicken to let her serve her plate. "Well, we don't have to worry about calling or not calling the next day, because we already call and text and see each other every day anyway."

"Right," she said, licking her finger of some of the orange sauce that had dripped outside the box. She picked up the rice container and started spooning it out onto her plate as well, while Rick served himself some Mu Shu Pork. "And I don't see a problem with staying the whole night, since we've done that a number of times already."

"Mother and Alexis _expect_ that I won't be coming home every other Friday night."

She took several pea pods and passed it to Rick. "How do we choose which apartment to stay at?"

He shrugged. "We'll just keep up our usual routine: one weekend at your place, the next at mine."

She nodded and picked up her plate to eat. "Think your mother and Alexis will have something to say about it?" she asked, taking her first forkful of rice with one big chunk of chicken.

"Oh yeah," he said as he leaned back against the couch with his own plate and began to eat. "Mother will have her usual warnings, as you know. Alexis will be aptly disgusted with us if we have no plans for the future."

Kate chuckled but then paused. "We won't be setting a bad example for her, will we?"

"That's what I'm best at. And yet, she still seems to do the right thing." He popped a pea pod in his mouth. "I'm not worried."

"Do they…" she wondered hesitantly, "…want me to be a part of your family?"

"It's never been discussed, but yeah, I think you would welcomed wholeheartedly. If," he added, "that was something you chose. I won't pressure you into it."

"Is it something you want?"

"You forget - I want what you want."

"Castle," she complained, leaning back against the couch, "I'm serious. What is it you want from me?"

He took a long time to answer, just studying her face and finishing his last bite. "I honestly don't know anymore. I did in the beginning, but now…" He shrugged one shoulder. "I like seeing you like this, just you, just 'Kate.' That's what makes me the happiest."

It was then she kissed him for the first time without being on a case or merely saying hello or goodbye. Just because it felt right.

Their plates nearly empty anyway, the two stumbled their way to the bedroom.

Despite all their preparation, Kate wasn't ready for the bliss she felt in the morning, waking up next to Rick Castle, her lover. She'd been so worried that something would change between them that she hadn't been ready for _everything_ to change. He even _looked _different, although, how that was possible, she couldn't say.

She stared at him for a long time, trying to squelch what it was she was feeling deep down in her heart for this man - who was again sleeping with his mouth open, she noticed amusingly - but couldn't seem to stop it. What was wrong with her? She'd told him when she came back after being shot in the heart that she couldn't love anyone, not until her mother's killer was caught. How had she let this happen? She'd been so careful not to let anyone close, and suddenly, Rick Castle had not only moved into her heart - he'd unpacked and settled in, leaving chip crumbs in the theoretical couch.

But knowing this about herself didn't change anything unless she wanted it to. Could she give him more than what they'd agreed upon? Or would she be satisfied with pretending that she was happy with just a casual relationship? He'd been doing it for so long, so patiently; but could she really ask him to continue waiting? Was that even a life she wanted to have?

No, she decided, staring at his handsome, sleeping face. She wanted him by her side every night. She knew that now. Settling for one night a week wasn't going to cut it anymore.

Defeated by her own inward admission, Kate snuggled up to Rick and brought her lips close to his ear to whisper in a sigh, "It didn't work, Castle. We failed the test."

"What test?" he mumbled sleepily. She'd thought he wasn't yet awake.

"I…" she began and stopped. "I just realized…" she still hesitated, finally blurting it out: "I'm in love with you."

Castle's eyes didn't even blink open. The corners of his lips just slowly curved up into a smirk. "You know, you're not the first woman to say that after just one night with me."

She smacked his chest and laid down on his shoulder. "What are we going to do?"

"What do you _want_ to do?"

"I don't know. All I know is I don't want to go back to what we had before, even yesterday."

"We don't have to, you know."

"I know, but this was supposed to be a casual thing, just meeting our physical needs. This wasn't supposed to change everything between us."

He finally opened his eyes and looked at her. "What's supposed to be and what is aren't always exactly the same thing. What we have to do is figure out where to go from here. Do you wanna…be together as a couple?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Okay," he smiled at her reply. "Then what? Do you wanna…get married?" he asked very carefully.

Kate rolled off of him and onto her back to stare at the ceiling to think. Did she?

She took so long to answer that Castle moved to his side and propped up on his elbow to see her better. "Kate, I've been married twice, so don't forget I'm kind of an expert when it comes to what will work and what won't in a relationship. And despite what we've told ourselves, we've been in a steady, committed relationship for months, with_out_ sex, which is a pretty good sign that we have more going on for us than just the physical. I'm not saying that I want you to say yes, but-"

"Yes."

Her sudden reply stopped Rick at once, and he stuttered out a response. "Y-Yes? You mean, you wanna- Are you sure you're…? I wasn't-"

She rolled her head to look at him, and she slowly smiled. "You don't have to be so nervous, Castle. I know you weren't actually popping the question. I wasn't really answering it. Not yet, anyway."

"But it is something you want."

"Yeah," she nodded. "With you and only you."

He grabbed her hand on her stomach and lifted it to his lips to kiss it, keeping his gaze locked with hers. "You should know that I've loved you for a long time."

"I know," she blinked, smiling. "I think I have too; I just wasn't ready to accept that it was possible. You're an easy man to love, Rick, but you were also a risk."

"I know," he parroted with a sigh, staring down at her flawless hand in his. "I know I'm not the most sensible choice; I never was."

She felt every breath coming in and out of her lungs, slow and steady. "You're perfect for me, though. I'm sorry it just took me so long to figure that out."

"I'm not," he smiled at her, his thumb caressing the back of her hand again. "I like how our relationship has grown, although, in each moment, I was frustrated with how long it was taking."

Kate rolled so that she was facing his body with her own, and he adjusted so that his arm was under her head. "We're never going to live this down at the precinct, especially after the other day with Ryan and Esposito."

"So?" he countered, resting his free hand on her sheet-covered hip. "It's our lives, not theirs. I will, however, be thanking them for starting the conversation that led to this."

"All because you kissed me at the office. I knew that was a bad idea."

"I didn't hear you complaining."

"No, you wouldn't have, because I wasn't."

"Then, why are you bringing it up now?"

"I have to blame somebody, don't I?"

He rolled away a touch, as if he was about to get up. "Well, then, let me get a mirror so that you can figure out who that should be."

Kate grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back to kiss him. "Don't go," she whispered happily against his lips. "Stay here with me today."

His fingers lightly brushed her cheek. "That was the only thing I had planned."


	3. Part 3 of 3

**A/N: ** Sorry I was a little later than expected posting this last part. My daughter was feeling better for the first time in 5 days and needed some time on my computer today. Meanwhile, I'm still going through the worst of it, but I can tell I'm getting better, slowly but surely.

Thanks again for all the great reviews! I'm so happy you all like this story! :) This part is the fluffy part where I live up to my screen name. :P Enjoy!

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><p><strong>33**

She wasn't sure how a mere discussion of marriage had turned into the real thing so soon. But it had.

Almost all of that first Saturday was spent in bed, but when that afternoon came and Castle's phone was ringing non-stop from the two other women in his life, the couple knew they should probably go to his place and break the news about the change in their relationship.

Martha wasn't home, but Alexis was surprised to see Kate accompanying Rick into the apartment, but even more so with the fact that they were holding hands - fingers intertwined - and they looked incredibly happy. "What's going on?" Alexis wondered first.

"Well, um, Kate and I have some news," he paused dramatically. "We're…together."

Kate's heart had been pounding, wondering how he was going to word it, and, in all honesty, what he chose was anti-climactic. "Great explanation, Castle," she scoffed. "'Together' is the only word you could come up with? And you, a best-selling novelist?"

"What did you expect me to say?"

"I don't know; something with more of a meaning than, 'together,'" she said, adding air quotes. "You could've said, 'we're in love,' 'we're getting married-'"

"I thought we hadn't decided that-"

"Yes, we did. I told you that was what I wanted someday."

"Yeah, but 'someday' is not 'now.' I didn't want to make assumptions."

"GUYS!" Alexis yelled, getting their attention. She shook her head at them. "You're…together?"

Rick waved his hand at his daughter as if to prove his point that his chosen word had been appropriate.

Kate just laughed, shaking her head. "Yeah, Alexis." Judging her skeptic expression, she asked hopefully, "We didn't mean to spring it on you. Are you alright with us…dating?" She hoped that was a sufficient enough word.

"Are you kidding?" she asked so seriously that Kate nearly bolted from the room. Then Alexis started laughing. "I'm ecstatic!" She rushed to hug Kate, all the while telling her dad "it was about time."

She hugged her father next and then backed up to pelt them with questions. "When did this happen?" she asked first.

The two stared at each other for a reply. "It's been happening for a while now," Rick replied, taking Kate's hand again.

Kate added, "I just didn't want to admit it until this morning."

"And you're happy? You're in love? You're getting married?"

They nodded in sync to answer the first two questions, and the third, Rick allowed Kate to answer. "At some point, yes," she said, her grin wide.

"Dad," the girl's voice quieted. "You did it. You grew up and found someone to spend a lifetime with."

Castle chuckled, lifting Kate's hand to his lips again. "Yeah, I did."

"Does Gram know?"

Castle shook his head.

"She's gonna freak." She pulled out her phone from her jeans' pocket to call her. "And I call dibs on telling her." In just a few seconds, she had her on the line. "Gram, you're not going to believe this: Dad and Kate finally admitted they're in love!"

She put the phone on speaker just in time to hear Martha exclaim, "Oh, it's about damn time!"

"Wait," Kate shook her head in disbelief. "This is something everyone knew but us?"

"Oh, yes, honey," Martha sang through the phone. "We all knew. We just had to wait on you two to figure it out on your own time. I am glad that it didn't turn out to be the disaster I'd imagined with the two of you semi-dating as you have been these past few months."

"Yeah, Dad," Alexis added, "that wasn't fooling anyone but yourselves."

"Seriously?"

"Well, think about it. When I was dating Ashlee, or anyone else for that matter, if I'd spent the night with him once a week on our couch, would you think there was nothing else going on than just a close friendship?"

Considering how his jaw was tightening up at just the thought, Kate knew he didn't like that idea at all. "Let's just assume your dad agrees with you on that point," she said to relieve him from answering. "But I won't let him take all the blame. What we had the last few months was all I could handle."

Martha spoke through the phone. "We'll just be thankful that you've come to your senses, then, Kate. Congratulations. Now I'm off to Macy's. I'll be home in a bit, and we'll open a bottle of champagne."

"Sounds good, Martha," Kate replied.

Alexis hung up the phone and put her hands on her hips. "So, how's this going to work when you go back to the precinct? Oh, can I tell Lanie? Please?" she asked excitedly.

It was decided that no one would say anything, at least until they settled into working so closely with the one person they loved most.

But it didn't last long. Ryan and Esposito were questioning a subject a few days later, with Castle and Beckett watching from the observation room. She was listening in quite well, leaning on the edge of the two-way mirror, but when he started playing with her hair, pushing it over her shoulder and stroking it down her back, she began to feel distracted and even aroused. "Castle, what are you doing?" she asked quietly.

"Nothing. I just love your hair. Have I told you that?"

"Last night," she replied, tossing him an intimate look, reminding him of just that moment he'd complimented her the first time. She hadn't been wearing anything else at the time. "We're at work, though. I thought we were going to keep everything personal out of the precinct."

"Sorry," he said, reprimanded enough to keep his hands to himself. "It's just still so new."

She stood up and faced him, sighing. "I know. I've been struggling too. Maybe we should take a vacation and get some time alone together to get used to this."

"Ooo, I like that idea," he said, reaching for her waist, since they were alone in the room anyway. "Where would you like to go?"

She grinned and leaned back in his arms. "You know, you're probably the only person I've ever been with that could take my answer to go anywhere in the world and make it come true."

"And I would. So, where?"

"Oh, I'd have to think about that."

"Okay. How about when?"

She stared at his lips, thinking how delicious they always tasted. "Soon," she whispered, just a moment before she gave in to that desire and kissed him.

Her arms were around his neck and shoulders, with her fingers lost in his hair when the door opened. Esposito cleared his throat as Ryan whistled. Kate broke away from Rick, ashamed that she hadn't even been able to control herself either.

"So," Esposito pursed his lips. "I suppose this is just a close friendship, too?"

Ryan snickered, Castle put his hands in his pants' pockets and rocked back on his heels, and Kate's cheeks turned red. "No," she managed with an even tone. "No, it's not anymore."

"Oh, really?" Ryan questioned. He held out his hand to Esposito, who quickly pulled out a ten-dollar-bill from his wallet and handed it to him. "Thank you."

"Ryan bet me you wouldn't last a week, and since I had a little more faith in you, Beckett, that you could hold Castle off, just like you have the past five years, I guess I lost."

Ryan wondered, "So, what are you two now?"

Kate surprised them all by replying, "In love."

Esposito was the first to smile, and it was wide. "Damn, Castle, you did it. You broke down that wall."

The couple exchanged looks, but Castle shrugged. And despite the exact wording he'd used, she didn't honestly believe Castle had said anything about the "wall" conversation she'd had with him months before. It was just a coincidence.

"So, what's next?"

Castle replied, "We were just talking about a vacation."

"Like a…honeymoon?" Ryan prodded.

Castle shook his head. "No-" he proclaimed, just as Kate said:

"Yes."

He eyes snapped to the side of her face. "Kate, what?"

She turned to him and shrugged. "What are we waiting for? Why _can't_ we just get married? I mean, it's what you want, right?"

He held back a joyous laugh. "Yeah, but…is that what you want?"

"I know I can't keep on pretending that I'm not ready for it. And if we go for it now, I won't have to renew my lease next month, and we could take a long honeymoon vacation. When we come back, I think I'll be much better prepared to face the work every day with you here."

Ryan posed, "The captain may not allow it."

"I could call the mayor," Castle offered.

"That's not a great long-term solution," Kate reminded him. "When his term is up, if another mayor is elected, you might not have that shoe in the door anymore. We'd be better off getting her on our side now by telling her the truth."

Castle held Kate's arm to keep her from leaving just yet. "What if she says no?"

Kate smiled. "Then I'll come home to you every night, tell you anything you want to know about my cases, and be your inspiration."

"You already are," he spoke huskily, just before claiming her lips.

"Oh, god, _please_ get a room," Esposito muttered.

"We have one," Castle mumbled back, not taking his eyes off Kate's. "And you're in it. You can close the door on your way out."

They did just that, leaving Kate chuckling at Castle with her upturned face. "So, are we really going to do this?" she questioned, knowing without a doubt that the plan was already cemented in her mind, and there was no turning back.

"You just say when."

"Friday? Is two days enough?"

"Enough for what?" he asked dreamily.

"To tell your mother and Alexis, to plan a trip for the two of us."

"Where do you want to go?"

She smiled. "Everywhere."

"That might take a while."

"I don't care."

"How much time could you get off?"

"It's my honeymoon, and I've worked non-stop for years without a real vacation. I could have a month."

"Then a month, it is. I'll go home now and start planning."

He didn't move, his face still mere inches from hers.

"You're still here."

"So are you," he countered. "And you have a case to work on."

She let out a contented sigh. "I love you."

His smile widened. "I never get tired of hearing that from you."

"I don't either, but then again, I haven't heard you say it in a few hours."

"If I say it now, it won't hold the same meaning."

"Try it."

"I love you, too."

She scrunched her face. "You're right; it doesn't mean the same. But I still like hearing it."

"I'll say it every day for the rest of your life."

"Mmm," she murmured, closing her eyes, enjoying the moment. "Sounds like a wedding vow."

"Give me a couple of days, and I'll say those to you, too."

She blinked purposefully, smiling up at him. "The longer you take to leave, the longer it'll be before I come home to you."

He hummed at that thought, leaning down to kiss her at last. "Okay, I'm going. Oh, but what about talking to Captain Gates?"

"Yeah, we should do that now and get it over with." She stepped out of his arms and started for the door.

Castle followed her all the way into the captain's office. As they came through her open door, the imposing, yet small-boned woman peered up at them over her reading glasses, lifting her pen off the page on which she'd been writing. "Can I help you?" she asked flatly.

"Sir, Castle and I have something to discuss with you."

"Is it case-related?"

"No, sir. It's…personal."

Gates took off her glasses and stood to her full height, clearing her throat. "This is a workplace. We don't do personal."

"Well, sir, you might think this will affect our work, though I'm hoping you won't. Castle and I are…getting married."

The captain blinked in surprise, but didn't otherwise react. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, sir," they both replied at the same time.

"And just how long as this plan been in the making?"

"About five minutes. Honestly," she thought to add.

"Well, I _honestly_ doubt that it took only five minutes to realize that you were perfect for one another and decide to get married."

"No," Kate shook her head. "It's been building for months. Years, actually." It didn't seem necessary to tell her when they'd figured out that what they had was love.

"And you've been working together all this time without telling me there was more than just your average partnership going on?"

"Yes, sir."

The captain crossed her arms. "Well," was all she said for a long minute as if she was busy going through all their past cases in her mind. Then she sat back down in her chair with another sigh. "I guess that if I haven't seen anything going on between you two other than the occasional flirting, you must be compartmentalizing your feelings and working together rather well." She leaned forward to point at them both. "But if I ever sense in any way that your relationship is detrimental to any of our cases, this little shadowing deal you have going on will be over, friendship or no friendship with the mayor."

"Understood," Kate replied. "Sir, there's one more thing. We'd…like to get married this Friday, and…I'd like to take a month's vacation then for a honeymoon. I have plenty of vacation days saved up, and we don't have any difficult cases open right now."

"A month? With this guy?" she pointed to Castle. "Good luck." She put her glasses back on to return to her paperwork. Then she waved at them and tossed what resembled a happy expression. "Have a wonderful time."

Happy with the outcome of the meeting, Beckett and Castle grinned at each other, each wanting to leave the room to find someplace alone where they could have a celebratory kiss.

"Oh, Beckett," the captain called out before they made it out of the room. Kate stopped and was surprised when she saw her captain actually baring her teeth in a smile, though it seemed a bit forced. "Congratulations."

"Thank you, sir," she said calmly, stepping out into the bullpen only long enough to throw herself in Castle's arms. Cheers went up around the room, though Kate wasn't sure how the news had spread, until she caught sight of Ryan beside Esposito with a thumbs-up before he too clapped and whistled with everyone else.

They were getting married. Nothing else mattered anymore.

* * *

><p>Now Kate walked out of the courthouse with her <em>husband<em>, her father, her new step-daughter and mother-in-law, two partners, and friend from the precinct as witnesses. Castle looked happier than she'd ever seen him, and the love in his eyes was all hers to keep forever. She'd never felt more proud or content. And to think that it had all started out so innocently, so casually, so…perfectly, all the while pretending that there was nothing more than a companionship between the two of them.

Theirs was just a comfortable friendship that settled into something so much more meaningful than either of them had expected.

It had happened…in its own time and in its own way. That was what mattered most.

_THE END_

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Just wanted to share: Castle's voice is easy for me to hear in my mind (and hopefully in the story too), mainly because his personality - even some of his facial expressions! - is SO MUCH like my brother's, it's weird. I think that's part of the reason I was drawn to the show to begin with. I love my big brother's sense of humor, even with his constant teasing…because I know deep down, he has a tender, loyal heart, and would fight anyone to the death to protect the ones he loves. :)

PS: Due to a commented question: No, my brother is NOT single. He's been married 25 years and has four sons. I love _Castle_ because I get to see how my brother would behave with a teenaged daughter, lol.


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